🚀 go-pugleaf

I've been getting a fair amount of e-mail from people seeking info on
how to upgrade older NeXT Stations. I've responded to quite a bit of it
but let me summarize to the Net.

1. NeXT claims a sense pin is "required" to detect an ADB sound box. If your
   motherboard doesn't have the sense pin then you can't do ADB.
2. NeXT claims that even if your motherboard does have the sense pin then
   you may not have a cable that has a wire for the sense pin.
3. NeXT sells ADB sound boxes now. They will be selling ADB mono monitors in
   a month or so.
4. To do 72Hz video on a turbo color station you need a 3.3 bootrom.

OK, first things first. I've whipped out my incredibly PC "Owner's Guide"
that came with my ADB starting point kit and on page 85 it confirms that
there is indeed a pin called "ADB" on both mono and color Stations (pin
7 on both.)

NeXT has evidently been telling people they'll need a new motherboard. But
what we really need is a new bootrom. Which we need _anyway_ right? This new
bootrom will assume ADB, just like the current one assumes non-ADB. In one
fell swoop the need for a new motherboard and cable goes bye bye.

So any color station, Turbo or non-Turbo, could be upgraded by purchasing a
spiffy new $30 bootrom and a $125 ADB sound box and a $225 ADB starting point
kit. Which is _exactly_ what I did. But in this case it would be a $30
bootrom that doesn't require a sense pin.

For mono systems I see two possible paths, buy $30 bootrom and a spiffy new
$995 ADB megapixel monitor, plus ADB starting point kit. Or buy $30 bootrom
and pay $150 to get your megapixel monitor upgraded to ADB and purchase a
$225 ADB starting point kit.

Development items for NeXT:
1. New bootroms for color/mono stations that assume ADB rather than non-ADB.
   Development time 1 man day (at most!)
2. Design dealer level ADB mono monitor upgrade dox 1 man week (if they use
   PageMaker on a Mac :).
3. Figure out how to get high tech assembly line to make Mono ADB boards
   without stuffing them into monitors. 1 man day.
4. Figure out spiffy PC packaging for mono ADB upgrade board 3 man days.
   (Including time for faxes back and forth with Sierra Club)
5. Enter all of above into NeXT order processing system so people can buy it.
   1 man day.

Looks _real_ trivial to me. Why fight it guys?

Scotty